I think Boone Co will be improved this year. I know, with a record of 1-10 the last two years I'm really going out on a limb here.

The senior class has some good leadership. And the Sophomore class has some talent. The sophomores will need to step up and make strong contributions for the Rebels to win more than one game. I anticipate that will happen.

Line play will need to be more consistent. It will be anchored by one of the area's finer linemen, Tevon Merritt. Last year there were persistent holes on both sides of the ball. There is a new line coach and he has been plugging guys in and there should be more consistent play at line this year.

Senior QB, Zach Grau will be at the reins again this season. His play will improve with a strengthened line. His main targets at receiver are also returning, Jante Wingo and RJ Summers. I have to believe that there will be more production through the air this season.

I think the running game will be a little better this year. Senior John Mark Shutt is returning at FB. He was the leading rusher last year averaging over 5 yards per carry. An improved line will obviously help him, as well. If he gets a head of steam he is hard to bring down. He will have some help from senior Hunter Freeman and sophomore Boden-Bender (sp?). Sophomore Cauvay Vastine should be back and ready to take more of a role at RB.

I would like to see the offense get in more of a rhythm this year with a balance of runs and passes and also distributing the ball in both the run game and the passing attack. It seemed like it never really got into a flow last season which is confirmed by the lack of scoring. Boone still doesn't have that skill player that can break it for a long gain on any given play so they will rely on putting drives together. I think the talent in the skill areas is varied enough to allow for more creativity in the offense than previously.

The Rebel defense will once again be anchored by Shutt at ILB. He is the leading tackler in NKY 6A according to one web site (2nd overall). Boone will have to replace OLB Dylan Ward who graduated in 2018 and is taking his talents to Union College. Freeman will probably get the nod to replace Ward. A couple of sophomores will be asked to make significant contributions at LB. One area that needs improvement is the secondary. There were too many easy TDs given up on passes last season. The Rebels will return some experience at the safety spots. I believe the corners will be new. I would like to see more aggression from the CBs moving up to contain the run.

The team is upbeat. They've been working hard and there is a sense that they are turning a new leaf. I really don't see any more slack in their schedule than they had last year so getting a few more wins isn't going to be easy.

What are their numbers like? They've been one of the worst 6A teams for a while, now, but I assume they have some talent in Boone Co.

I don't know their numbers yet because June is hard to tell with guys involved in many things. Come July I will have a better idea. I don't look for there to be many more than last year so I would say 55-60, just guessing. I remember counting about 45 or 49 in a team picture from summer last year. It is hard to compete against teams who boast 90 guys on a team. But that is life at Boone in this period.

There is talent in Boone County. Keeping it there is the hard part. Some talented guys who played freshmen ball at Boone have drifted elsewhere, including to Cov Cath and Ryle. Then there are those guys from Pee Wee days that were in the Boone County school district and destined for Boone County High School but they either went to a private school or moved to another location to play elsewhere in the county or region. I can think of two or three quality lineman that chose to play at a parochial school that would have really helped this year. It's kind of hard to gauge that so we just play with whomever we got.

Its hard not to root for a school like Boone County. Great tradition who has fallen on desperately hard times the last 15-20 years. The problem comes down to demographics and I'm not sure what you do to change that. All the guys who played at Boone, Lloyd and Dixie in the 70's and 80's moved to neighborhoods that now feed Ryle, Cooper and Conner. I do know, however, that NKY football is better when Boone is competitive so good luck to the Rebels this year !!

An article in the NKYTribune quotes Head Coach Marty Steele as saying the O-line is much improved over last season. He goes so far as to say that it is one of the best lines he's ever coached. Coach Steele is usually pretty blunt so he must think this line is quite good. That is good news.

Its hard not to root for a school like Boone County. Great tradition who has fallen on desperately hard times the last 15-20 years. The problem comes down to demographics and I'm not sure what you do to change that. All the guys who played at Boone, Lloyd and Dixie in the 70's and 80's moved to neighborhoods that now feed Ryle, Cooper and Conner. I do know, however, that NKY football is better when Boone is competitive so good luck to the Rebels this year !!

As recently as 2011 Boone County went 9-5 and made it to the 6A semifinals, losing to Scott County 16-14.

I agree demographics make it much more difficult to be the Boone County of old winning every year, but I think there is enough in the school to be competitive and have the occasional really good season. This year's team sounds like it has a chance to make a good positive move for the program. Good luck to the Rebels!

I really hope that Boone County can improve wins and that this is the season that gets more kids wanting to come out and play.

I think I remember ready they are a ground and pound type team? So hopefully that big fullback can top 1,000 yards or more. Would be nice to see any RB step up and lend a huge hand on the ground. Now if memory serves me correctly in the ground and pound thing, maybe a short to med range passing game can emerge to keep teams from putting 8 or so in the box.
Will Tevin Merritt have a line mate or two step up and help him out?

I really hope that Boone County can improve wins and that this is the season that gets more kids wanting to come out and play.

I think I remember ready they are a ground and pound type team? So hopefully that big fullback can top 1,000 yards or more. Would be nice to see any RB step up and lend a huge hand on the ground. Now if memory serves me correctly in the ground and pound thing, maybe a short to med range passing game can emerge to keep teams from putting 8 or so in the box.
Will Tevin Merritt have a line mate or two step up and help him out?

A thousand yards may be a lot to ask for a kid who had 381 yards last season and will play a major role in stopping the opposition at MLB, and be the kicker, and also personal protector on punt team and run downfield and make the tackle. However, he did average over 5 yards a carry last year, primarily between the tackles, and just about everybody in the stadium knew when he was going to get the ball. But who knows, if he goes for a thousand yards the stands at Owen Hauck Stadium will be rocking because that means he will be steam-rolling the opposition. lol.

The offense has every opportunity to show improved production because there is more talent at the skills than we had last year and the line should be improved. I will tell you, the power run game is ready now. Some of the other stuff will need work before Aug. 24.

Tevin Merritt has help on the O-Line. A kid who will provide beef upfront is Drew Baker. He's over 300 pounds. Those two are great kids, besides being good at football. This is the most solid Boone has been at all five positions on the line in some time. Staying healthy will be key. BTW, at the Ryle lineman challenge Merritt pushed a 225 lb sled 100 yrds in 37 seconds and Boone's line won all the team events. We are excited for the season to get started. The only problem is the other guys standing across the line. Will they cooperate with our renewed drive to win? We'll see.

And, btw, it isn't a given that the senior FB will get the majority of the carries. I expect there will be two or three other backs getting significant carries, including a sophomore that they are grooming for the future. Last season, there were several games where the FB kind of disappeared out of the offense. He was used primarily as a blocker, or they put in a different package utilizing smaller and quicker guys. I am anxious to see what they will do this year.